Control mechanism for variable speed



March 26, 1940. Re. 21,410

CONTROL MECHANISM FOR VARIABLE SPEED GLJRING F. F. SMALL ET All.

Original Filed Jan. 23, 1926 244 G ze.;

L. m m .v0 mwn I A Je.

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M g-la (51 p Reissued Mar. 26, 1940 UNITI-:D STATES f Re.'z1,41o

PATENT OFFICE coN'raor. MECHANISM Foa vAmABLn SPEED Gammo New York, N. Y.

Original No. 1,609,782, dated December 7, 1926,

Serial No. 83,241, January 23, 1926. Application for reissue October 23, 19,37, Serial No.

Our invention relates to mechanism for controlling the operation of variable speed gearing or power-transmitting devices of the type in which any one oi a plurality of speed ratios between a driving and a driven member may be established.

The principal object of our invention is to provide such a control mechanism which is automatically actuated according to the speed of the driven member, so that, as the speed of said member increases or decreases, the speed ratio between it and the driving member is automatically changed. Another object of the invention is to provide means for manually controlling the mechanism in such a manner that its automatic operation will produce various results. A still further object is to provide means for automatically preventing excessive speed of thedriven member. Other objects and advantages of the inventionwill be apparent from the following description, which .should be read with the understanding that the form, proportion, operation and arrangement of theseveral parts may be varied, within the limits of the claims hereto appended, without departing from the spirit of 25 the invention as set lforth in said claims.4

Our invention is particularly adapted, but not limited, to use in controlling the variable speed gearing of motor driven vehicles, such as=trucks, busses, rail-cars and the like. In such vehicles it is desirable, ln the interest oi' safety, 'to relieve Andfor the same reason it is also desirable to 35' limit the discretionary acts of the driver, as for example by the automatic prevention of excessive speed.

When used in connection with such' motor driven vehicles, our control mechanism relieves the driver of the'usual operation of gear-shifting, and under certain conditions automatically applies the brakes, so that he cannot lose c ontrol p of his vehicle, or injure its mechanism by careless operation.

and is herewith illustrated, as applied to a variable speed planetary-gear power transmittingmechanism of the type forming the subject matter of our application for United States Letters Patent, Serial Number 756,210, filedDecember 16, 1924, but it is to be understood that it may be applied without material change to other forms of variable speed power transmitting mechanism. Moreover, our invention is described and illustrated as embodied in a uid actuated mechathe operator or driver of as many 4operations `as` possible, in order to permit him to concentrate his attention on the road or track in iront'of him.

Our invention will be hereinafter described,-

'nism, but it is to be understood uint other actuating means may be used, such for example as electrically or magnetically operated devices, without Figure 3 is a pla'n view, enlarg'ed, ofthe controlling or distributing valve.

Figures 4 and 5 are sections taken in the direction of the arrows on the respective lines 4-4 and 5 5 of Figure 3. C

In view of thefact that the'yariable speed gear mechanism shown in Figures 1 and 2 is that disclosed in our above mentioned application Serial Number 756,210, it will be described herein only to an. extent necessary to an understanding oi' the application and scope of the present invention. Sumce it to say, therefore, that I, Figure 1, is a driving shaft, and 2 is a driven shaft axially aligned therewith.v The drive shaft I carries a clutch housing 3, within which are two friction devices such as clutches, designated A and B respectively, and said clutches are adapted to connect said drive shaft with the respective/sleeves 4 and 5. The sleeve 4 carries a sun pinion 6, and the sleeve E carries an internal gear 1, concentric with said sun pinion, and also a drum4 Il upon which operates a friction brake designated by the letter C. The sun piniongS and the internal gear I both mesh with a planet pinion 9, which has, with a planet pinion I0, a common hub or shaft I I, and said shaft is'rotatably carried in a spider I2 securedV upon the driven shaft 2. The planetpinion Ill meshes with a sun pinion I3, to which is secured a drum I4, and said drum is provided with a friction brake designated by the letter D.

The clutches A and B are operated by similar mechanism comprising adjustable dogs I5, toggle links Il, thrust rings I1, and forked bell-crank levers I8. The adjustment oi' the dogs I5 is prei'- erably such that, when the clutches are fully engaged, as shown, the toggle links I B are on center, so that there is no end thrust, and consequently very little wear, upon the rings I1. The bellcrank of the clutch A is operated by a piston I9a working in a uid pressure cylinder 20a. A iluld connection 2Ia is provided for conducting the iluid to and from said cylinder. This cylinder 20a which operate rods 24e and 24d. These rods are' connected with the upper ends of their respective brake bands, and the cylinders themselves are Y connected withl the lower ends of said bands.

Springs 23C and 23d are provided for releasing the bands, and a fixed anchor plate 25 serves as a mounting for both brake mechanisms. Figure 2 illustrates the -arrangement of the brake D, the brake C being similar.

The above described mechanism, which should be considered merely as typical of any suitable variable-speed power-transmitting device, provides four different speed ratios between the driving shaft I and the driven shaft 2. Three of these are forward speeds and one reverse.

- Thus with clutch A and brake C engaged, and

drive; and with clutch A and brake D engagedy and clutch B and brake C released, a reverse rotation of the driven shaft 2 or reverse speed is obtained. Obviously, with both clutches and both brakes released, no power is transmitted `(the so-called neutral. position) and with both brakes engaged, a braking effect is exerted upon the driven shaft 2. These various speed combinations are described'in detail in oui above men` tioned application Serial Number 756,210, and are, accordingly, merely enumerated herein to make clear the operation of the control mechanism hereinafter described.

The action of the fluid pressure for operating the several 'clutch and brake cylinders results in the sustaining of drive when the fluid pressure is on, and may be supplied from any suitable source, but we prefer to provide a pump operated by the driving shaft l. Such a pump is shown in Figure l, and comprises a cylinder 28 in'which operates a plunger 21, actuated by an eccentric 2l from the shaft I. The duid enters at .28 from any suitable source not shown, and passes through an inlet check valve 3l and a passage IlV to the cylinder 25, from which it is forced out through an outlet check valve l2 and an outlet connection 33. A spring-loaded relief valve 24 is provided for bypassing excess iiuid back to the inlet connection 29 to maintain a constant predetermined pressure in the operating cylinders. The supplying of the actuating .duid by a pump operated by'the driving shaft is of great advantage in that the speed of operation of the control mechanism is roughly proportional to the speed of said shaft.

Assuming the device to be used in a vehicle driven by an internaLcombustion engine, there is practically no danger ofstalling the engine, because, when the vengine is idling slowly, it will take an appreciable time for the pump to build up sufiicient pressurel to cause the complete engagement of the clutches and brakes, thus giving the operator (or the engine governor, if suchl ,means un'der the control of the operator.

-engine speed. Since there are friction devices actuated by the fluid pressure for changing the drive from one path of torque to another; the rate of transfer of drive which varies with the existing engine speed may be described as rate of engagement, for that clutch or brake which is q assuming the drive.

In this connection it should be remarked that we prefer to make the clutch release springs, one

of which is shown at 23a in Figure i, weaker than the brake release springs 23e and 23d, so that the clutches will be engaged before and released after the brakes. A superiority in smooth speed ratio` transition is hereby effected, because of the overlap of driving torque established by the ac` tion of the clutches and brakes involved. The brake bands, which are more accessible and easier to reline or replace, are thus made to take up and release the load, thereby preventing wear on the friction surfaces of the clutches. The clutch cylinder caps, one of which is shown at 22a, are adjustable endwise of their cylinders,r so that they form stops to limit the mvement of the clutch operating mechanism, the springs, when fully compressed, forming, in effect, spacers between the pistons and said caps. By properly setting said caps and the adjustment of thedogs I5, the clutches may be set to carry only the normal load, and will slip under conditions of excessive load, thereby preventing injury to the power transmitting mechanism.

The control of the fluid A issuing from the pump outlet 33, and its proper distribution to the various clutch and brake operating cylinders, is effected by a single distributing valve, which, in its best form, comprises a flat plate 35, Figs. 1

and 2, adapted to slide upon a fiat fixed seat 35.

` it is moved in one direction, automatically, by devices responsive to the speed of the driven shaft 2, and in the other by manually operated or other It should be understood that by this two-directional arrangement of ratio control valve l5, the force applied by the automatic means cannot interlere with the manual operation, nor can the .Y manual operation effect the actual setting deter;-

mined by the automatic means.

The automatic valve operating device may be of any suitable Itype. We have indicatei, in Figures 1 and 2, a. conventional governor 31 driven from the shaft 2 by bevel gears Il. This governor operates a belicrank lever 39, a link Il,

an arm 4I loosely keyed upon a snaft I2, and de\ pending arms I3 secured to said shaft and forked to engage pins Il projecting from the sides of the valve 35. The upper surface ofthe valve is provided with a series of parallel grooves I5, Figures 2 and 3, adapted to be engaged by a springpressed plunger or keeper 46, to locate the valve in ,its various positions. This locating means is shown as a poppet. The connection 41 between the link 40 and the arm 4I is a yieldable one, as shown, to cause the valve to jump suddenly between its various positions. 'I'his prevents hunting by causing the valve to lag until the speed .snap it into its vnext position.

The manual-or voluntary control of the valve is effected by sliding the shaft 42 endwise. For this purpose a suitable member I8, Figure 1, is shown as rotatably connected with the Vend of said shaft, and is understood to be connected, in any desired-manner, with a suitable operating handle, not shown, under `the control of the driver or operator.l The upper surface of the valve is provided with a series of parallel grooves I9, Figures' 1, 2, 3 and 5, positioned at right angles to the grooves l5, and adapted to be engaged by a spring-pressed keeper 50, Figures 2 and 5, to locate said valve in its various manual positions similarly tor the action of poppet plunger 4B in grooves 45 noted above. Obviously, the two movements of the valve are independent. Assuming, for example, four 'positions in each movement, as shown; the governor 3 1 can shift the valve to any one ofits four automatic positions, no matter which manual -position it may be in, and, conversely, it can be shifted manually into any one of its four manual positions, no matter which automatic position it may be in.

The seat 36 is provided near one side with a longitudinal passage 5I, Figures 3, 4 and 5, to which iiuid issupplied by agpipe 52, Figures 3 and .4, understood to lead from the pump outlet 33 of Figure 1. From said passage 5i tive ports, Sla, Bib, 5|c, Bld and Ble, openuponthe surfaceof the seat, as shown in Figures 3^and 4. Laterally adjacent to the rst four of said ports are sim.

' ilar ports 53a, 53h, 52e, and 53d, Figures 3 and 5,

vwhich extend vertically through the seat, and

" communicate with pipes 54a, 5th, Mc, and Md,

Figures 1 and 2. These pipes are understood to lead respectively to the clutch cylinder 20a, the corresponding cylinder, not shown, for the clutch B, and the brake cylinders` 20c and 20d. Near the other side of the seat is a longitudinal passage u, Figures 3 and 5, from winch a pipe'ss leadsback to thesource of fluid, not shown, from which the pump is supplied. This passage is i likewise provided with' ports 55a, Nb, 55e, 55d,

and 55e, and laterally adjant to the first four of these are ports 51a, I'Ib, 51e, and 51d, which are connected by pipes Ita., 58h, llc and 58d, Figures l and 2, with the respective pipes 54a, Mb, c and d leading to the clutch and brake operating cylinders. The lil sexies of connections are preferably provided with controllable regulating-valves, one of which is shown at I9 .in Figure 1, for a vpurpose to be described hereini e lower surface of the valve ll is provided with a plurality ofparallellaterally disposed grooves 80, Figures 3, 4 and 5.v The lengths-and and positions of these grooves, as shown in dotted lines in Figure 3, aresuch that communication is established, in various combinativerelations according to the position of the valve, between the 5l series oir ports and the Il seriesand between the 55 series and thev 51 series. For example, with the valve in the position shown in Figure 3, communication is established between ports Bla and Ita, between ports Iic and llc, between llb and llb, and 4between Ild and 51d, the groove establishing communication between the two last mentioned ports lbeingbroken away to show a portion of the Aseat in plan. As a result, fluid entering the 'seat passage Il underfpressure is distributed through ports lia, 53a, llc, 53e, and- I pipes lla and llc to the operating cylinders 2id of thelclutch A anclllc of the brake C. lThe 3l clutch A' and the brake C thereby engaged. At the same time, fluid escapes into the`discharge passage 55 through ports 55h, 51h, 58d,

51d, and pipes 58D, Mb, 58d and 54d, from the operating cylinder (not shown) of the clutch B and from the operating cylinder 20d of the brakey D. 'I'he clutch B and the brake D are thereupon yreleased. by their respective springs. This combination gives the low speed forward position previouslydescribed.

Assuming the manual lcontrol means to remain in the same position, as shown, a 4certain pre determined increase in speed of the driven shaft 2 will cause the governor 31 to shift the valve I5 one notch upwardly as viewed in Figure 3, which will establish communication between ports Sib and 53h, between Bld andjld, between 55a and 51a, and'between 55e and 51e, thereby engaging the clutch B and the brake D, and releasing clutch A and brake C, and thus. giving the intermediate forward speed. A further predetermined increase in speed of the drivenshaft 2 will cause the governor 31 to shift the valve I5 another notch in the same direction, thereby causing the engagement of both clutches A and B and the release of-both brakes C and D, establishing the'high speed forward or direct drive. It is thought unnecessary to describe in detailthe relations of the valve grooves and seat portsi in this position, since these'r can be seen from a study of Figure 3. Thus without any manual act Whatever', the increasing speed of the driven shaft 2 'has'shifted the gears from low through intermediate to high. Obviously, decreasing'the speed of the drive shaft, such as might be caused by climbing a grade or any other increasing load, will shift the gears in the reverse sequence back to low.

After the high speed position is reached, a further increase ofspee'd of the driven shaft 2 will cause the governor to shift the valve to its fourth and last position, which may be termed for convenience, the excessive speed position. In this valve position, both brakes C and D are engaged, and both clutches A'and B released,

thereby imposing a braking eifect upon the driven shaft 2 and reducing its speed sufliciently to cause the valve to be shifted back to its third or high speed position. 'Ihus there is provided an automatic control to prevent excessive speed of` the driven shaft.

As described above, the valve 35 may be shifted sideways, manually, to any one of four positions. It is shown in-Figure 3 in its extreme left-hand, or "forward speed position, in which its end- -wise automatic movement, by the governor, produces the described three forward and excessive' sp'eed control combinations. Shifting w,the valve manually one notch toward the right has no ef-, feet on the excessive speed combination, but in the other three automatic positions of the valve,

i. e., at all governor speeds below the excessive thereby establishing thereverse drive. Allgovernor speeds in excess of this, i. e., the other three automatic positions of the valve, produce the same result as the excessive speed position described above, viz., both brakes engaged and both clutches released. Thus the gearing can be reversed only when the vehicle is standing .driven shaft, we prefer to provide for means for partially relieving the pressure of the operating fluid `under such conditions. This is desirable, because the brakes must engage their drums with sufilclent force, in the various driving combinations, to hold said drums stationary, but when used for braking the driven shaft, such force is not only not necessary, but might be injurious to the driving mechanism.

As a preferred means for accomplishing this y object, we have provided the valve with a series 'of ports il, Figures 3,-4 and 5, adapted to register. in vcertain valve positions, with the seat port Ble 'leading from the pressure fluid passage 5I. The valve ports 6I all communicate with a passage G2 extending laterally through the body of the valve, and terminating in a series of ports B3 adapted to register with the seat exhaust port 55e. A spring-loaded relief valve I4 is provided in said passage 62. and 63 are so positioned that they register with pressure andexhaust ports Sie and e in all positions of the valve in which both brakes are engaged, except in the low speed brake position, i e., they register inail excessive speed positions, and in all high and intermediate speed positions except neutral" and forward." As a result. a by-pass is established for the pressure fluid, through the ports 6I, the relief valve' Il, the

' passage 62, and the ports 6l. The relief valve M is adjusted to open at a lower pressure than the pump relief valve Il, so that the pressure applied to the brake operating cylindersis less.

when said by-pass functions, than it isunder normal conditions.

The by-pass functions in all braking positions except the low speed, because when traveling in low speed, the full resistance of the brake is not only not injurious, but may be required to stop the vehicle quickly- 'I'he function of the regulating valves N, one

, of which is shown in Figure l, is to prevent total dropping of the load, momentarily, when shiftting from one speed combination to another, with consequent racing of the engine. If these valves were not employed. the uid would, when the distributing valve 3l is shifted, escape from those cylinders connected with the exhaust or return line more rapidly than the pump could Vbuild up the pressure in the cylinders connected with the pressure line. Consequently there would be an interval of time, especially if the driving shaft and the pump were operating slowly, during which all brakes and clutches would be' released, the engine would tend to race, and the consequent sudden building up of the duid pressure would cause the load to be picked up again. in the The ports 5I.

next speed combination, with a jerk. But by properly regulating the valves 59, the escape of fluid from the released cylinders can be slowed down so that the brakes or clutches operated thereby will not release fully until the other brakes or clutches have begun to pick up the load.

l Therefore, the transition from one speed combination to the next is made smoothly, without jerk and without racing of the engine. The valves 59, when once properly regulated, remain so indefinitely, and continue to establish the proper shift interval timing for smooth speed ratio change. We deem the action of these valves to be an important part of our disclosure.

It will be seen from the foregoing, that the driver (assuming the mechanism to be used in an y -engine driven car or vehicle) can control the ly shifted from low through intermediate to high,

and back again, as the car speed increases and decreases, and at excessive car speeds the brakes are automatically applied (with reduced .pressure); in the reverse manual position, the gearing is automatically placed `in reverse at low car speeds, and at all higher car speeds vthe brakes are automatically applied .(with reduced pressure); and in the manual braking position, the brakes are automatically applied,.with full pressure at low car speeds and with reduced pressure at all higher car speeds. v

In order further to relieve the driver of. the necessity of manually vshifting his control means between neutral and forward positions when making frequent stops, Awe prefer to provide means for automatically accomplishing the same result. A Vvariety of such means may be-employed, and will readily suggest themselves to those skilled in the art, but as an example of a simple and easily applied device, we have shown. means forautomatically relieving and restoring the pressure in the iluid line leading from the pump to the distributinggvalve under certain conditions, as for example when the engine throttle is closed to its .idling position and again` opened to a running position. Obviously, the connection with the engine throttle is merely an example, and accordinglyl the throttle itself has been omitted from the drawing. The principle involved, however, is that the fluid pressure is automatically relieved and restored by the operation of any convenient member, and it will assist in understanding the advantages and operation of such principle to assume that the operating member is connected or operated in unitle, however, at once restores the pressure of the actuating fluid, so that the gear shifting mechanism can function as previously described.

' fluid pressure.

the vehicle, exclusive ofthe brakes and reverse,

to idling position automatically results in shifting -the gearing to neutraL by relieving the Therefore, the entire control of is effected solely by opening or closing the engine throttle. It should be observed that the operator may; establish neutral drive, and coast the vehicle by simply relaxing the throttle to idle.

For the above purpose we havenshown, inl Figure l, a relief valve B5 in the fluid outlet of the pump, opened by a cam B6 which is oscillated by a lever il. A rod or drag-link 6B connects said lever with the desired control member, not shown, which has been assumed to be the engine throttle. The connection is so arranged that, when the throttle is in closed or idling position, the cam l holds the valve 6l open, allowing the fluid to by-pass through the cam housing B9 and a pipe 'Il back to the sou'rce of supply (not shown), and thereby relieving the pressure in the line leading to the distributing valve and thence to the various clutch and brake operating cylinders, so that the clutches and brakes are all released by their respective springs; in short, the gearing is thrown into neuh-al. But when the throttle is in any other position, the valve 65 is closed, and the fluid pressure is restored, thereby rendering the gear shifting mechanism eii'ective.

We also provide suitable means for preventing abuse of theneutral control feature last described.

Obviously, the relieving of the pressure of the actuating fluid, if not controlled, would prevent operation f the otherwise automatic braking feature of the mechanism, sov that the vehicle might be coasted down hill, for example, at excessive speed, without having the brakes automatically applied. As a convenient and simple means for preventing such abuse, we have shown a flexible wire 1I, Figures l and 2, whichis understood to connect the cam operating arm 61 with the bell crank 39 of the governor l1, and which is so arranged that when the car speed becomes excessive, the action of the governor pulls the wire 1I against the resistance of a light spring 12, and draws a stop lug 13 (formed by a twist of said wire) against the arm 61, thereby moving said arm and the cam 6B suiliciently, to close the relief valve 65 and restore the luidfpressure to the line. A spring 1l permits the arm 61 to move independently of the link 68.

As a further extension of this feature, a second wire connection 1I', Figure i, extends from the manual valve shifting member 48 and is understood to be connected with the wire 1| in such a manner that, when the valve 35 is shifted into either of its two last or right hand positions, viz., reverse or brake," the wires il and 1| actuate the arm 61 -to close the relief valve 65 in the manner and with the result described above.

Ihe eect of this is that the automatic pressure relieving feature is entirely inoperative, and the normal operation of thedistributing valve and the gear shifting and braking mechanism is therefore fully operative, not only at excessive car speeds, but also when the manual control is thrown. into either "reverse or braking position.

l. 'I'he combination with a driving member, a driven member, a variable-speed power-transmitting mechanism connecting said members embodying friction elements, of iiuid actuated means Vi'or operating said mechanism by sustaining cer- .fluid actuated means for tain of said elements and engagement to vary the speed ratio -between said members, means for supplying fluid under pressure to said operating means, means responsive to the speed of the driven member for automatically controlling said iiuid, a movable member, and means actuated bythe last mentioned member for relieving the pressure of said fluid.

2. The combination with a driving member, a driven member, a variable-speed power-transmitting mechanism connecting said members, of iluid actuated means for operating said mechanism to vary the speed ratio between said members, means for supplying uid under pressure to said operating means, means responsive to the` speed of one of said members for automaticallyI controlling said fluid, a movable member, mean. actuated by the last mentioned member for re lieving the pressure of said iiuid, and means actuated by said speed-responsive controlling means for rendering said pressure-relieving means in operative.

3. The combination with a driving member, -a driven member, a variable-speed power-transmitting mechanism connecting said members, oi iiuid actuated means for operating said mechanism to vary the speed ratio between said members, means for supplying fluid under pressure to said operating means, manually operated means for controlling said iiuid, a movable member, means actuated by the last mentioned member for relieving the pressure of said-fluid, and means actuated by said-manual controlling means for rendering said pressure relieving means inoperative. I

4. The combination with a driving member, a driven member, and variable-speedpower-transmitting mechanism connecting said members,

said mechanism including means for applying a braking effect to the driven member, of means responsive to the speed of one of said members for operating said power-transmitting mechanism to vary the speed ratio between saicl members and for applying said braking eiiect.

5. The combination with a driving member, a driven member, a .variable-speed power-transmitting mechanism connecting said members embodying uid pressure operated friction elements, of fluid actuated means for operating said mechanism to vary the speed ratio between said members; a fluid controlling valve; means responsive Vto the speed of one of said members for moving said valve automatically to control said-operatingto the speed of one of said members for moving said valve automatically in one direction to control said operating means; and means for moving said valve in another direction,-a't will, to modify its control of said operating means.

7. The combination 'with a driving member, a

' driven member, a variable-speed power-transmitting mechanism connecting said members, of

operating said mechanism to vary the speed ratio between said members', a valve seat member having a .plurality of ports; a ported valve cooperating with said seat for controlling the fluid and the operating means said seat in a plurality of parallel paths and to a plurality of positions in each path; means responsive to the speed of one of said members for moving said valve along any of said paths for eil'ecting the control of said operating means;

and means for shifting said valve to any of ,said paths to modify such control.

8. 'I'he combination with a driving member, a driven member, a variable-speed power-transmitting mechanism connecting said members, of a plurality of iiuid actuated means for operating said mechanism to var y the speed ratio between said members; means for supplying fluid; a valve for distributing the duid to said operating means in various combinations means responsive to the speed of one of said members for automatically moving said valve to produce certain combinations; and'means for moving said valve, at will,

to produce other combinations.

'9. The combination -with a drivingmember, a driven member, a variable-speed power-transmitting mechanism connecting said members, of a .plurality of iluid actuated means for operating said mechanism to vary the speed ratio between said members; means for supplying nuid; a valve for distributing the fluid to said operating means in various combinations; means responsive to the speed of one of said members for automatically moving. said valve to produce certain combinations; and means for modifying. at will, the auto-v matic movement of said valve to produce other combinations.

10. The combination with a driving member, a driven member, variable-speed power-transmitting mechanism connecting said members, and a braking means associated therewith, of a plurality of iiuid actuated means for operating said mechanism to vary the speed ratio between said members and for operating said braking means means for supplying iiuid; a valve for distributing the uid to said operating means in various combinations; means responsive to the speed of oneof said members for automatically moving said valve to produce'certain combinations; and means for moving said valve, at will, to produce other combinations... Y

11; In combination with a driving member, a driven member and a variable-speed power-transmitting mechanism connecting said members, said mechanism including means for applying a braking eifectto saiddriven member; of means responsive tothe speed of the driven member for automaticaliycontrolling' said mechanism to vary `the speedratio between said members and to apply said braking eiect; and means for controlling said mechanism, at will', .to apply said braking eilect.

12. In combination with a driving member, a driven member and a variable-speed power-transmitting mechanism connecting said members, said mechanismincluding means for applying a ,braking effect to said driven member; of duid pressure actuated means for controlling said mechanism to varyV the speed ratio between said members and to apply said braking eflect; and means for supplying iiuid to said operating means under relatively high pressure vto-cause the speed-ratiocontrol effect of` said mechanism and under relatively low pressure to cause the braking eii'ect thereof. V

13. 'I'he combination with a driving member, a

' driven member', and variable-speed power-transmitting mechanism connecting said members, said" mechanism including means for applying abrak ing effect to the driven member; of means for operating said power-transmitting mechanism to vary the speed ratio between said members; and means responsive to the speed of the driven member for applying said braking effect.

14. The combination with a driving member, a driven member, and variable-speed power-transmitting mechanism connecting said members, said mechanism including means for applying a braking eect to the driven member; of fluid actuated means for operating said power-transmitting mechanism to vary the speed ratio between said members and to apply said braking effect; and means responsive to the speed of one of said members for varying the pressure of the iluid supplied to the means applying said braking effect.

i5. The combination with a driving member, a

driven member, and a variable-speed powertransmittingmechanism. connecting said members, of a plurality of fluid actuated friction means for operating said mechanism to vary the speed ratio between said members; means for supplying fluid; means responsive to the speed of one of said members for distributing the fluid to said operating means in various combinations; and means for controlling said distributing means, at will, to vary said combinations.

16. 'Ihe combination with a driving member, a

, operating means.

17. The combination with a driving member, a driven member, and a variable-speed powertransmitting mechanism connecting said members, of means for operating said mechanism to vary the speed ratio between said members; a controlling device movable in two directions; means responsive to the speed of one of said members for moving said device automatically in one direction to control said operating'means; and means for moving said device in the other direction, independently of its automatic movement, to modify its control of said operating means.

18. The combination with a driving member, a driven member, and a variable-speed powertransmitting mechanism connecting said members,- of a plurality of `iiuid actuated means for operating said mechanism to vary the speed ratio between said members; means for supplying fluid; means responsive to the speed of one of said members for distributing the uid to said operating means in various combinations; and means for automatically reducing the pressure of the uid supplied to said operating means in one of said combinations. Q f

19. The combination with a driving member, a driven member, and a variable-speed powertransmitting mechanism connecting said mem-.

-' said members for distributing the uid to said operating means in various combinations; means 1g for controlling said distributing means, at will, to vary said combinations; and means for automatically relieving the pressure of the fluid supplied to said operating means in certain of said combinations.

20. The combination with an engine connected driving member, a driven member, an enginethrottle connected lever, a variable-speed powertransmitting mechanism connecting said members, a fluid actuated means for operating said mechanism to vary the speed ratio between said members, means for supplying fluid under pressure to said operating means, means responsive to the speed of the driven member for automatically controlling said fluid, a ymovable valve member connected to said lever and means actuated by the last mentioned lever for relieving the pressure of said uid by movement of said valve member. i

21. The combination with an engine-connected driving member, a driven member, a throttle-comnected lever, a variable-speed power-transmitting mechanism connecting said members, of uid actuated means for operating said mechanism to vary the speed ratio between said members, means for supplying fluid under pressure to said operating means, means responsive to the ,speed of one of said members for automatically controlling said iiuid, a movable valve connected to said lever, means actuated by the last mentioned lever for relieving the pressure of. said uid, and means actuated by'said speed-responsive controlling means ior rendering said pressure-relieving means inoperative.

22. The combination with a drivingv member, a driven member, a variable-speed, power-transmitting mechanism connecting said members, of :luid actuated 'means for operating said mechanism to vary the speed ratio between said members, a iiuid controlling valve, position determining means associated with said valve such as poppets, means responsive to the speed of one of said members for moving said valve automatically in conjunction with said position determining means to control said operating means, and means for moving said valve, at will, independently of its automatic movement, to modify its control ofsaid operating means. Y

23. The combination with a driving member, a driven member, a variable speed power-transmitting mechanism connectingsaid members, including a plurality of4 friction elements operable to provide a plurality of step-ratios of drive in said transmission mechanism, and a plurality of iluid pressure means operative upon said elements, of means supplying fluid pressure for operating said mechanism to vary the speed ratio between said members, of fluid pressure regulating means arranged to modify the timing oi ratio change eil'ected by said operating means, a movable'controlling device, and means responsive to the speed of one of said members for moving said device automatically to control said operating means, whereby said regulating means may be made operative to graduate the transition from one speed ratio combination to the next in said mechanism.

24. With a combination such as described in claim 1, the sub-combination wherein the said movable member is effective to move a valve device.

25. In a combination such as described in claim 1, the subcombination including a control means moved with the engine throttle of the vehicle for operating said movable member.

CARL E. NAGEL. OSIE W. SMALL.

Assignee of the Estate of Fred F. Small, Deceased. 

